Sarah the Seagull

Sarah the Seagull

By Gabrielle Sierra

SarahtheseagullandhermomlivedinNewYorkbythesea.

EverydaySarahandhermomwouldflyoverthewaves,divingintoeatthesmall
fishandcrabsthatswamintheshallowwater.Sometimespeoplewouldfeed
Sarahandhermotherasandwichorsomepotatochips.Theyalwayshadalotto
eat.

Atnight,Sarahandhermotherwouldrestundertheroofofanearbybuilding.
Theywerewarm,andtheyhadanicelife.

Butonedayitstartedtogetcolder.Thelittlefishthatwerealwaysswimmingin
thewaveswerealothardertofind.Therewerenomorepeoplecomingtothe
beach,sonoonewastheretofeedSarahandhermotheranysandwichesorchips.

Itistimetoflysouthforthewinter,saidSarahsmom.

Why?askedSarah.

2013 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

 Sarah the Seagull


Becauseithasgottentoocoldhere,explainedSarahsmom.Toocoldforusto
livehererightnow.Thereisnofood,anditwillsoongetevencolder.

Butthisisourhome,saidSarah.

Dontworry,saidSarahsmom.Wewillcomebackwhenitiswarmagain.We
arebirds,wecanchangewhereweliveandstillbehappy.Wecanhavemorethan
onehome.

SoSarahandhermomsaidgoodbyetothebeachandflewaway.Theyflewand
theyflew,untiltheywereoutofthecoldandbackintothewarmweather.They
flewallthewaytoMiami,Florida.

There,theyfoundanewbeach.Itwasfilledwithfish,andtherewerelotsof
peopletogivethemsandwichesandchips.Sarahsmomevenfoundanewroof
forthemtosleepunder.

Ilikethisotherhome,saidSarah.Itiswarm,andwehavefood.Thisisanice
placetoo.

Itoldyouitwouldbenice,saidSarahsmom.AndwhenitgetswarmerinNew
Yorkagain,wewillgoback.Thatisthenicepartaboutbeingabird.Wecanflyto
newplaceswheneverwewant.

2013 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Name: _________ Date: ___________________

1. Why do Sarah and her mom fly south?

A because there are too many fish where they live

B because they are tired of living in New York
C because the weather gets colder

2. Where does the beginning of the story take place?

A Canada
B Florida
C New York

3. Where does the end of the story take place?

A Canada
B Florida
C New York

4. The weather in New York is getting too cold for Sarah and her mom to
live in. There is not enough food for them to eat.

What do these two sentences explain?

A why Sarah and her mom fly to Florida.

B why Sarah does not like living in New York.
C why Sarah likes to eat small fish and crabs.

5. What is this story mainly about?

A a seagull, her mother, and why they fly south for the winter
B the places different birds travel to throughout the year
C the weather in Florida and New York during the winter months

2013 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

6. Read the following sentences: There, they found a new beach. It was
filled with fish, and there were lots of people to give them sandwiches and
chips.

What does the word beach mean?

A land far away from water

B land next to water
C the deepest part of the sea

7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.

Sarah likes her new home _______ it is warm and has food.

A but
B before
C because

8. When the weather became cold in New York, Sarah and her mom

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

2013 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

9. Why does Sarah like Florida?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

10. Sarahs mom says that she and Sarah will return to New York again
when it gets warmer.

Explain whether Sarah and her mother will probably fly back again to
Florida after that.

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

2013 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.